The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission estimates the cartel’s annual net profit to be $1 billion,with revenues of $1.5 billion.

Mr Phelan also said the introduction to Australia of several encrypted phone platforms,including Ciphr,that were being used by thousands of Australians to engage in crime “certainly leads back to elements of the Aussie cartel”. Policing sources said the Australian distribution of an encrypted phone platform called Anon was also cartel linked.

The revelations – which extend toconfidential law enforcement assessments that Australia’s premier airline Qantas has been infiltrated by criminals – thrust the issue of organised crime back into the spotlight.

Agencies are pushing politicians to support stalled port and airport security identity card legislation to prevent “trusted insiders” exploiting border security gaps. The laws are backed by the Coalition,but Labor claims they are flawed.

Agencies are also seeking new laws giving authorities greater access to “dark web” and encrypted communications platforms being used exclusively for crime.

Mr Phelan declined to identify the members of the cartel. But state and federal policing agency sources say they include Comanchero boss Mark Buddle (who lives in the United Arab Emirates),Hells Angels boss Angelo Pandeli (in Greece and UAE),Triad-linked figure Michael Tu (Hong Kong),George Dib (Lebanon) and Hakan Arif (Turkey). An Adelaide bikie boss recently deported from Singapore and a Sydney logistics,port and transportation expert are also cartel members.

The cartel’s founding member and Australia’s most wanted priority target is Hakan Ayik,whomThe Age,theHerald and60 Minutestracked down to Turkey,where he lives under a new name,Hakan Reis. Ayik,known as the “Facebook gangster”,now runs Istanbul’s King Cross Hotel and owns two homes in upmarket Turkish suburbs,including the Kemer Country gated community – information that has been provided to Australian Federal Police. Ayik has two children and married a Dutch woman,Fleur Messelink.

Ayik is suspected of co-operating with Pandeli and Buddle,formerly warring bikies who are now working together as part of the cartel to arrange importations,including a $1 billion methamphetamine shipment into Western Australia in 2017 and a January 2020 importation into Melbourne.

Mr Phelan was appointed to lead the Criminal Intelligence Commission in 2017 after rising to deputy commissioner for national security in the Australian Federal Police. His interview withThe Age,Herald and60 Minutes is the most expansive by a commission CEO in the history of the nation’s most secretive and powerful crime-fighting agency.

Asked why he was now speaking publicly when he had previously maintained a low profile,Mr Phelan said:“At this particular point in time,Australia is facing a very serious threat from[offshore] serious and organised crime.”

He said policing agencies,led by the commission and federal police,were using innovative ways to hunt cartel members,including seeking one-off extradition arrangements and targeting family members and associates in Australia who were helping the cartel.

“I don’t care about playing fair either,” Mr Phelan said. “Absolutely,we’re hunting them and we make no apology for that.”

He also revealed police across Australia would be increasing the targeting of the Comancheros.

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